Post Game: Knicks 104, Spurs 100

By Matthew Falkenbury | Nov 15, 2012 | 11:52PM

Raymond Felton led the Knicks in scoring with 25 points on 10-20 shooting with seven assists. The Knicks had five players score in double figures and not one of them was named Carmelo Anthony (Nine Points).

The Knicks trailed 89-77 with 7:14 remaining in the game but, outscored the Spurs 27-11 down the stretch with Jason Kidd, J.R. Smith and Felton combining to score 22 of those points.

Carmelo Anthony only scored nine, but contributed by leading the Knicks with 12 rebounds, five of them on the offensive glass to go along with three assists.

Jason Kidd had 14 points, with nine of them coming in the comeback effort, hitting three, three pointers to help spark the run that led to the Knicks victory.

Tony Parker led the Spurs in scoring with 19 points to go along with 12 assists. He was one of six Spurs to score in double figures. Felton was the only player to score more than 20 points with both teams going over 100.

This is the first time the Knicks have won in San Antonio since 2003. If you were wondering, yes Kurt Thomas was on that squad.

The Knicks are 6-0 for only the second time in franchise history, only the 7-0 start by the 1993-1994 Knicks was better.

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What a game. What an effort. What a win for the New York Knicks tonight.

Raymond Felton had his best game of the season by far. With the tough and frustrating task of guarding Tony Parker, he kept him in check the final seven minutes of the game and sparked the comeback with some very good decisions with the basketball. He led the team in scoring and was taking advantage of what the Spurs were giving him. His drives to the lane off the pick and roll were a great imitation of what Tony Parker had been doing all night and got the Knicks on their way towards the win.

His back court mate Jason Kidd had been quiet for most of the game and had a bad habit of leaving his guy wide open for three on more than a few occasions, but things changed when the Knicks needed him the most. His three pointers in the comeback were all clutch and at first cut a 10 point lead to four points and then his third took a two point Knicks lead to a five point lead with a minute left. He also had two steals, two assists and three blocks. Another great effort from the veteran.

Carmelo Anthony didn't score much and was getting pretty much beat up all night by the Spurs with the referees enjoying the show. Be that as it may, Anthony contributed in other ways that has been his trademark early in the season. He was the decoy on offense as the Spurs sent double and triple teams at him but still got his assists and led the team in rebounds. Five of those boards were on the offensive end and his passing was crisp all night. During the comeback tonight, Melo was a catalyst defensively and was showing the toughness of a leader, which every Knicks player mentioned after the game.

J.R. Smith also struggled for the most part, but when he was needed, he again came through, hitting the go ahead three after some great ball movement. He admitted before the game that last year he partied too much and has now buckled down and want to just play ball, which has resulted in his best stretch of basketball. 17 points led the way for the guys off the bench and was playing during crunch time which if you had a choice is better than hearing your name in the introductions.

Tony Parker is a great player. Not good, but great. He constantly got into the lane to get his points and when the Knicks shut that down, he was finding the open man time and time again. Tiago Splitter had 13 straight points in the fourth, he can thank Parker for that. But Parker got cold at the end of the game and when his game got closed down completely, the Spurs went down with him.

People, including myself kept calling this game a test and for 41 minutes, it looked like the doubters of the Knicks were about to enjoy a game that looked a lot like past Knicks efforts. But those final seven minutes to me were the difference between past Knicks teams and this team we are seeing out there so far this season. They played tough defense, played controlled and smart on offense and came away with their best win of this young season.

Coming up next, the Knicks travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies at the Fedex Forum, Friday night at 9:30 PM. The game will be on MSG & ESPN.

The Knicks head to California to take on the Kings at 10:30 p.m. ET. on Friday night.

According to STATS...

The Knicks defeated the Kings 106-98 in New York on December 4. Sacramento shot just 32.3 percent from the field in that loss. With that win, New York snapped its four-game losing streak in this series.

The Knicks lost to Cleveland 126-94 on Wednesday, in the process snapping their 10-game streak scoring 100 or more points. The defeat dropped them to 1-5 on the season when they are held below 100 points.

Jennings calls Knicks' blowout loss to Cavs 'embarrassing'

8:49AM

New York Knicks guard Brandon Jennings ripped the team's effort in Wednesday's blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, calling the loss "embarrassing."

The Knicks lost at home 126-94 in a nationally-televised game in which the Cavaliers shot 48.8 percent from the field and 55 percent from 3-point range. The Knicks gave up 63 points in both halves and several Cavaliers were seen playing games on the bench during garbage time.

Can Carmelo Anthony and Phil Jackson fix their relationship?

Dec 8 | 7:22PM

Can Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony repair their relationship after Phil called Carmelo a ball-hog?

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TheKnicksBlog Podcast: Go West, Young Men

Dec 8 | 3:45PM

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Anthony Donahue and Moke Hamilton look back at an awful game against the Cavs, and look ahead to a pivotal west coast road trip. Later, the guys once again discuss comments made by Phil Jackson, this time focusing on Carmelo Anthony.

It's time for the Knicks to move Noah to the bench

No Noah, no problem. The Knicks have gone on 4-0 without Joakim Noah, but there's no denying having him rise up and be the player New York is hoping he can be would pay dividends rather quickly.

Unfortunately, he hasn't been that player since (at the very most recent) the 2014-15 season. The player the Knicks have acquired looks like a shell of his former self. Of course, he's provided flashes of intrigue, physicality, and toughness here and there.

Noah's vision on offense is among the best for centers in the NBA. With a bevy of tip-backs when crashing the glass, Noah continues to create second-chance opportunities. On defense, he plays an excellent mental game and can frustrate opponents.

Noah hasn't been able to do this on a consistent basis. He's missed games and New York has proven to be successful without him already. His absences have forced the Knicks to get into a different rhythm -- one that works without him on the floor. When inserting Noah back in, such cohesion often looks lost.

Jackson wants Melo to be less of a ball-hog

Dec 8 | 9:45AM

Knicks president Phil Jackson said Carmelo Anthony is still holding onto the ball longer than he should be and also spoke about the triangle offense and what he considers the unfair backlash against it.

"Carmelo a lot of times wants to hold the ball longer than -- we have a rule: If you hold a pass two seconds, you benefit the defense," Jackson said in an interview with CBS Radio on Tuesday. "So he has a little bit of a tendency to hold it for three, four, five seconds, and then everybody comes to a stop."

Anthony is averaging 23.5 points, six rebounds and 2.5 assists in 21 games this season.

James, Cavaliers crush Knicks at Garden, 126-94

Dec 7 | 10:48PM

Knicks players speak after losing to the Cavaliers at MSG, while Derrick Rose remains day-to-day with a back injury.

NEW YORK (AP) LeBron James scored 25 points, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love also surpassed 20, and the Cleveland Cavaliers crushed the New York Knicks 126-94 on Wednesday night.

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Rose out against Cavs with sore back, considered day-to-day

Dec 7 | 8:21PM

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Derrick Rose (Adam Hunger/USA Today Sports Images)

An MRI revealed that Derrick Rose has no structural damage and he is considered day-to-day with a back injury, reports ESPN New York's Ian Begley. New York expects Rose to travel with the team to the West Coast.

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Tonight's Game: Knicks vs. Cavaliers

Dec 7 | 5:35PM

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Dec 4, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek talks with players during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden. New York Knicks won 106-98. (Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports)

All-NBA Melo carrying Knicks over the .500 hump

Dec 7 | 3:00PM

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New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) gestures after a three point basket during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. (Anthony Gruppuso)

Tommy Dee, SNY.TV:

For as far back as I can remember, great players in New York get treated differently by the media. Because their salaries are public knowledge, players who make the most money are often shouldered with the weight of the franchise as well as lofty and often unrealistic expectations.

It was that way with the likes of Patrick Ewing and Alex Rodriguez, and it's been that way with Carmelo Anthony since he was traded here in 2011.

Can Knicks turn to D-League to bolster guard depth?

As Derrick Rose sat out much of the second half of Tuesday night's game against the Heat, it was easy to see just how thin the Knicks are spread at point guard, with only Brandon Jennings to turn to next.

This was a cause for concern during training camp, when New York opted to let Chasson Randle go. The thought that they could be without 50 percent of their point guard depth exposes quite a weakness.

Carmelo Anthony matched a season high with 35 points, and the New York Knicks beat the injury-ravaged Miami Heat 114-103 on Tuesday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

Kristaps Porzingis had 14 points and 12 rebounds for New York, which is three games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2012-13 season. The Knicks lost Derrick Rose to back spasms in the third quarter.

Goran Dragic scored 29 points and Hassan Whiteside finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds for the Heat, who fell to 2-8 at home.

The teams were tied at 68 late in the third quarter, when the Knicks went on a 27-13 run over the next eight minutes to take control. Anthony finished 13 for 27 from the field, and Porzingis and Joakim Noah combined for 22 rebounds.

Jackson regrets choice of words, no plans to meet with Lebron

Dec 6 | 6:05PM

Update, Dec. 5

While appearing as a guest on CBS Sports Network's "We need to talk," Phil Jackson expressed regret for his choice of words towards Lebron James and those associated with him (CBS Sports, Dec. 5).

"We are not supposed to discuss other team's players in this position that I have here," Jackson said. "So I violated one of the tenets... And the obvious thing is, the word itself carries connotation. And I just don't understand that part of it, the word. So I guess word choice could be something I would regret. But talking about other teams' players, that's out of the box."

In an interview with ESPN on Nov. 15, Jackson referred to Lebron and those surrounding him as a 'posse,' which caused Lebron and long-time friend Maverick Carter to publicly denounce the comments made.

Knicks head to Miami to take on Heat

Dec 6 | 2:10PM

New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) shoots a free throw during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden. (Anthony Gruppuso)

MIAMI -- This season may be the first time in 17 years that the New York Knicks can actually say they are better than the Miami Heat.

New York, led by established standouts Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose and superstar-in-the making 7-3 center/forward/shooting guard Kristaps Porzingis, may be for real this time around.

The old rivals -- more on that later -- will meet on Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena, and the Knicks (11-9) are in a virtual three-way tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. They have won three in a row and eight of their past 11 and are just one game out of third place.

Not re-signing Derrick Williams hasn't hurt Knicks so far

Dec 6 | 11:30AM

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(Steve Mitchell)

Derrick Williams, who opted out of the final year of his contract with the Knicks this past June, told Marc Berman of the NY Post that the decision was tough.

"For sure it was a tough decision,'' Williams said. "I love my time in New York. Being one of the fan favorites, leaving a place where I felt I could keep getting better, keep growing. But ultimately I feel it was the right decision. It might not seem that way right now. But I'm getting better each day. Even though I may not be on the court right now, this is for the second half of the season."

Williams, who played 80 games for the Knicks last season, has appeared in just 11 of the Heat's 20 games so far in 2016-17.

Hornacek building competitive culture and Knicks are responding

By Tommy Dee | Dec 5 | 2:00PM

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(Adam Hunger)

Tommy Dee, SNY.tv:

The idea of competition for playing time can be a very slippery slope, especially if incumbents with higher salaries feel threatened and cause locker room friction. But the sense so far is that players, top to bottom, are pushing themselves for minutes, resulting in the Knicks outplaying opponents -- especially at home -- more often than not.

When the Knicks signed Mindaugas Kuzminskas from Unicaja, a Spanish team in the Euroleague, I texted a scout friend of mine who was familiar with his game.

Kristaps Porzingis didn't bounce back in the way the New York Knicks hoped he would have following a 2-of-12 shooting performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he still managed to help the Knicks get a 106-98 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Porzingis shot 6-for-18 from the field and wasn't alone in his struggles, but simply couldn't get anything to fall no matter how often New York looked at him. (Granted, some overzealous foul calls against the Knicks prevented them from getting into a flow.) Despite Porzingis' off night, his teammates -- notably Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony and Brandon Jennings -- picked him up at different points. As Porzingis struggled, head coach Jeff Hornacek kept him on the floor, and it was easy to see why.

Dec 4 | 10:24PM

Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony each scored 20 points and the New York Knicks held off the Sacramento Kings 106-98 on Sunday night for their eighth win in 11 games.

The Knicks took a 21-point lead in the first half, gave up 18 consecutive points in the third quarter but outplayed the Kings down the stretch to win their third straight overall and improve to 9-3 at home.

Brandon Jennings added 19 points for New York and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Knicks, with O'Quinn contributing, will try to end skid vs. Kings

Dec 4 | 3:23PM

The Knicks will try to end a four-game losing streak to Sacramento when they host the Kings Sunday night at the Garden.

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TheKnicksBlog Podcast: Righting the Ship

Dec 4 | 1:20PM

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Anthony Donahue and Moke Hamilton are back on TheKnicksBlog Podcast where the guys discuss the team's recent string of success, including Wednesday night's win over Minnesota. Later in the show, Ant and Moke debate whether Derrick Rose deserves a contract extension and talk about the importance of the next 10 games on the schedule.

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Knicks need to find a place for O'Quinn when Noah returns

By Keith Schlosser | Dec 4 | 11:11AM

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Kyle O'Quinn has earned the right to stay in the rotation when Joakim Noah returns to the Knicks lineup. ( Adam Hunger)

The Knicks are 4-0 without Joakim Noah thanks in part to Kyle O'Quinn, who has certainly held his own. Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek will have to find a place for O'Quinn when Noah returns.

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Will increased level of chemistry between Anthony and Rose continue?

By Keith Schlosser | Dec 3 | 12:16PM

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(AP)

Carmelo Anthony was red hot as the Knicks built up a lead against the Timberwolves on Friday. Connecting on five shots from long range, there was clearly an extra pep in his step as he broke out of what has been a much too long offensive slump. Anthony ran the floor with gusto as he made shot after shot in transition. It's clear he can create for himself when necessary, but his teammates undoubtedly aided his efforts to have a breakthrough game against Minnesota. His 29 point performance was needed.

Jackson Was Right to Ignore Thibodeau

By Tommy Dee | Dec 3 | 10:10AM

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Phil Jackson smiles during a news conference. (USA Today)

Much was made during the off season as Knicks president Phil Jackson ignoring free agent Tom Thibodeau during the coaching search. While Jackson decided between David Blatt and the eventual winner Jeff Hornacek, Thibodeau, who was looking for a level authority not available in New York, landed in Minnesota with the upstart Timberwolves.

Porzingis discusses offensive development around Anthony, Rose

Kristaps Porzingis has led the New York Knicks to a 6-4 record over their last 10 games. The second-year forward ranks second only to nine-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony on the team with 21.4 points per game. And as Porzingis continues to flourish on the offensive end, there's already talk about whose team this is.

Does it even matter? After a slow start to the season, New York looks competitive. As the Knicks hit their stride, Anthony and Porzingis are standing tall as a very formidable 1-2 punch. They're clearly stronger together, playing off one another and keeping opposing defenses on their toes. Porzingis seems to understand that.

"Since I've been here [Anthony has] been that guy for me and he still is the guy that draws the most attention from the defense," Porzingis said in a recent interview with SLAM. "That gives me more space and more options to be open.

"We're still figuring it out, we're not even close to what we can do and how much potential we have. We're working towards that and once we click 100 percent, we can do big things."

Holiday's evolution key to him receiving big minutes

New York Knicks guard Justin Holiday (8) reacts after scoring a three point basket during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. (Anthony Gruppuso)

Justin Holiday may have had a poor shooting night against Minnesota, but he found himself on the court when it mattered most. In what has become an often occurrence for Knicks' reserve, he was once again on the floor in the closing seconds of an important game. Alongside Carmelo Anthony and the team's more notable players, Holiday was depended on for defensive prowess.

"There's such a premium on guys that can make shots. You have to make shots. With the way the game is today, defenses are rotating so quickly and the ball is going to find the open man," Michael Peck, who coached Holiday in 2012-13 on the Idaho Stampede of the NBA D-League told SNY.tv and TheKnicksBlog.com. "If you're that guy, you've got to be ready to knock those down. He has great length and great elevation on his shot, which makes him hard to cover."

By Tommy Dee | Dec 1 | 12:25PM

I've always felt based on studying the Knicks as closely as I have over the years that there's an inner conflict that has been building within the fanbase surrounding Carmelo Anthony.

Some fans want to see the Knicks win with him, and it seems some don't.

I won't go as far as to say people root for the Knicks and against Anthony because that thought process makes zero sense to me. Maybe that's just some people's way of stirring the pot on social media, but ever since Anthony has been here it's been a roller coaster ride for fans who believed Carmelo was supposed to be the savior taking the Knicks to the promised land after coming here from Denver.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Kristaps Porzingis had 29 points and eight rebounds in a thrilling duel with Karl-Anthony Towns, helping the New York Knicks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 106-104 on Wednesday night.

Carmelo Anthony capped a quiet night with a game-winning 18-footer over Andrew Wiggins with 2.3 seconds to play, helping the Knicks avoid what would have been an epic collapse in the fourth quarter.

Knicks look to get back on track against Timberwolves

Nov 30 | 5:01PM

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(Adam Hunger)

The Minnesota Timberwolves need to find a way to right the ship after once again failing to close out a game, the latest instance coming Monday against the Utah Jazz.

They'll have two straight chances against the New York Knicks to do so. Minnesota hosts New York on Wednesday at Target Center before traveling to Madison Square Garden for another game against the Knicks on Friday.

Rose vs. Jennings: What the numbers say

By Tommy Dee | Nov 30 | 2:15PM

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(Sam Sharpe)

In the wake of the discussion surrounding the Knicks and Derrick Rose as it relates to a contract extension, I thought it would be prudent to take a look at the numbers of both Rose and Brandon Jennings to get a good idea how productive both have been to start the season.

The eye test tells me that the Knicks are at their best when Rose and Jennings are surrounded by three jump-shooters, considering neither does a particularly good job of stretching the defense from three-point range.

That immediately causes a "space" issue for the Knicks in the half court offense. Rose is just 7 of 27 this year (26 percent), while Jennings is shooting just a bit better with more frequent attempts making 16 of 53 for 30 percent.

And that's the way it should be. Rose has shown flashes of promise with regard to being the kind of player New York needs. Still, a big plus to his acquisition was the flexibility his expiring contract will present them moving forward. As Rose comes off the books, the Knicks will have an opportunity to regroup and assess their priorities during free agency. If no player entices them enough to garner the kind of money Rose would, they could instead hold off on making a big commitment until the following summer.

"I haven't talked to them about it,'' Rose said of an extension. "It's been more about winning games. We'll see. I'm more concerned with trying to win games, but it's something I'd have to talk about with my family and team.''

Sometimes flexibility is more valuable than signing a player prematurely tends to be. Signing Rose to an extension that would hover around $75 million would tie up the Knicks' money. Is he really the player they want to commit to long term?

Joakim Noah leaves doubt he's ready for prime time

New York Knicks center Joakim Noah (13) during first half against Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. (Noah K. Murray)

After missing two games with the flu, Joakim Noah returned, only to play limited minutes in the weekend back-to-back against Charlotte. The Knicks came away with two commanding victories in the games he missed, so the fact that Noah failed to make a big impact upon returning created doubt he'd be a solid fit for New York moving forward.

It's worth noting that the Hornets went small during crunch time. As the Knicks attempted to match up in the best way possible with their opponent, Noah was an obvious odd man out. Sometimes different opponents dictate the use of less favorable, or simply varied, lineups, and this was one of those times.

With an imposing and physical front line of Steven Adams and Enes Kanter, (and not to mention, the NBA's best rebounding guard in Russell Westbrook), Noah had a quick chance to redeem himself. Unfortunately, he couldn't take advantage of the opportunity.

Thunder expose biggest weakness in Porzingis, Knicks

By Tommy Dee | Nov 29 | 12:45PM

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New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek talks with forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Madison Square Garden. (Adam Hunger)

I equate the final minutes of the Knicks game last night to a football team that ran the ball down the throats of the opposing defense until the clock ran out. The Thunder simply were stronger than the Knicks on the offensive glass, ripping down 17 rebounds on the offensive end -17 chances for the Knicks to have ended a possession. Overall they won the rebounding battle 53-40 and that helped the Thunder break the Knicks' (8-9) six game home winning streak.

"We didn't do a very good job of boxing guys out," Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said to reporters following the Thunder's 112-103 win at Madison Square Garden last night. "We can't just turn and not drive a guy away from the basket and think we can just get it."

Knicks can't contain Westbrook in 112-103 loss to Thunder

Nov 28 | 10:11PM

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GEICO SportsNite: Hornacek00:00:47

Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek discusses New York's 112-103 loss to the Thunder at home Monday night.

Russell Westbrook got his third straight triple-double and nearly did it by halftime, finishing with 27 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists for his NBA-leading eighth of the season as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the New York Knicks 112-103 on Monday night.

Westbrook had 14 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists at the break and is now averaging a triple-double for the season, raising his averages to 30.9 points, 11.3 assists and 10.3 rebounds through more than a month of the season.

Enes Kanter added a season-high 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Steven Adams had 14 points and 10 boards in the Thunder's third straight victory.

Derrick Rose scored a season-best 30 points, but the Knicks had their six-game home winning streak snapped. Kristaps Porzingis added 21 points and Carmelo Anthony had 18, but shot just 4 for 19. >> Read more

Knicks face off with Thunder at MSG

Nov 28 | 5:05PM

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New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) shoots a free throw during the third quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden. (Anthony Gruppuso)

Point guards Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, chosen first and fourth, respectively, in the 2008 draft, will renew acquaintances on Monday when the New York Knicks host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Madison Square Garden.

Rose's Knicks (8-8) have won six straight at the Garden. Westbrook's Thunder (10-8) are 4-3 on the road.

Oklahoma City comes in after a 106-88 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday when Westbrook posted 17 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds for his second consecutive triple-double and seventh this season. It was also his 44th career triple-double, which ties him with Cleveland's LeBron James. It took Westbrook 395 fewer games than James to achieve the milestone.

Knicks set for a heavy dose of the Western Conference

By Tommy Dee | Nov 28 | 3:00PM

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(Brad Penner)

When the Knicks face off against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder during Oklahoma City's only regular season visit to Madison Square Garden, it will be the first of a handful games in which New York will face a team from the NBA's Western Conference over the next month.

Starting Mondy night, eight of the Knicks' next 10 games will be non-conference, including a five-game road trip starting in Sacramento that will see the Knicks face the Kings, Lakers, Suns, Warriors. and Nuggets starting December 9. That could prove to be an important, season-defining stretch for the Knicks, who have struggled on the road mightily this season.

Historically speaking, the Knicks' road trips out west have been a challenge to say the least, but they won't be playing any back-to-back games, where they have been 0-4 this season. In fact, with head coach Jeff Hornacek's new "modern triangle," the Knicks want to play at a faster pace getting more possessions. And five of the seven teams the Knicks will play over the next 10 games are all in the top-10 in possessions per game.

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Lance Thomas remains out against Thunder due to ankle injury

Nov 28 | 3:10PM

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(Troy Taormina)

Lance Thomas will remain out due to a sore left ankle when the Knicks play the Thunder on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, the team announced.

His ankle was in a walking boot after last Wednesday night's game and Thomas said the injury had turned into a bone bruise.

"I don't want to be something that keeps me out for too long but when I come back I want to be effective to the team," Thomas said. "I've been playing through the injuries. My teammates know I've been trying to do my best.''

In a troubling theme that is starting to become commonplace, the Knicks fell to 0-4 on the second game of back-to-backs last night to the Charlotte Hornets. In each of the four games (three being on the road), the Knicks seemed to lack the ability to match the energy of their opponents. It's a flaw that everyone in the locker room is aware of, including the coach, and it all starts with the leg strength of the Knicks big three players: Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose.

"They didn't quit, which is a positive, but we need to get off the better starts," Jeff Hornacek said. "I think they had 24 points in the first 6 1/2 minutes of the game. So that's probably where the game was won or lost right there."

After falling behind by double-digits relatively early on Saturday, the Knicks did manage to catch up to the Hornets. Unfortunately for them, they failed to hang on to a very brief lead. In what has become a familiar occurrence for New York during Carmelo Anthony's tenure, playing catch up is no easy task. When the Knicks create a sizable hole for themselves, it proves difficult to fully climb out of. Saturday's game was no different, especially as they played on tired legs.

The Knicks are used to exerting so much effort in merely catching up to an opponent, that it's rarely taken into account that by the time they do, a team like the Hornets hasn't slowed down one bit. New York worked hard to claw their way back, but didn't have enough energy sustain a lead of their own.

Knicks continue to struggle on the road

Nov 27 | 7:27AM

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Nov 26, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) and guard Brandon Jennings (3) react to a call after Rose is charged with a foul during the second half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center. Hornets win 107-102. (Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports)

With the chance to sweep a home-and-home with the Hornets, the Knicks fell in Charlotte in the back end on Saturday.

Despite having won their previous three games, the Knicks again fell on the road, where their record now stands at 1-6. New York has now lost four consecutive games away from Madison Square Garden.